Don Ohlmeyer

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In his four-hour Archive interview, Don Ohlmeyer (2945-2017) talks about his early years in television as an associate director for ABC sports. He shares memorable moments from his experiences directing the 1968 Olympics in Mexico City and the 1972 Olympics in Munich. He describes producing the popular series of specials Battle of the Network Stars, his transition to NBC sports and the creation of Ohlmeyer Communications, under which he produced the Emmy-winning television movie Special Bulletin. He details his move back to NBC, where he served as President of West Coast Operations and reinvigorated the network with "Must See TV" and post-Johnny Carson late-night television. Finally, he chronicles his departure from NBC, his brief return to Monday Night Football and his current passions: painting, teaching, and writing. Dan Pasternack conducted the interview on November 17, 2004 in Malibu, CA.

"Network television's role is to put asses in the seats to watch commercials. Anybody who doesn't want to admit that shouldn't be in the business. That doesn't mean that the programming that you do can't be uplifting, or challenging, or inspiring. But it's not initially about the programming. It is about coming up with programs that enough people want to see, that advertisers want to advertise in. That's just the way the game is."

Chapter 1

On his childhood and early influences; on his early interest in sports; on attending college at the University of Notre Dame; on watching sports on television with his father; on how television viewing habits have changed over the years

On working for ABC Sports out of college; on hustling pool; on The 1968 Olympics; on mentor Roone Arledge

Chapter 2

On The 1968 Olympics (contd.); on mentor Roone Arledge; on Wide World of Sports; on the core of ABC Sports - great storytelling; on creative innovations pushing technology forward

On Monday Night Football; on Pete Rozelle getting ABC to pick up Monday Night Football; on working with director Chet Forte; on Monday Night Football announcers Frank Gifford, Don Meredith and Howard Cosell

Chapter 3

On Monday Night Football (contd.); on negotiating contracts; on Monday Night Football announcer Howard Cosell

On winning an Emmy in 1975 for Monday Night Football; on the 1972 Munich Olympics

On Battle of the Network Stars and The Superstars, precursor to Battle of the Network Stars

Chapter 4

On leaving ABC for NBC Sports in 1977; on mentoring a new generation of sports executives; on producing the World Series; on the U.S. boycotting the 1980 Olympics in Moscow

On leaving NBC in 1982; on producing the 1977 Emmy Awards; on creating his own company and producing the television movie Special Bulletin

Chapter 5

On producing the television movie, Under Siege; on the power of made-for-TV movies; on producing the Indianapolis 500

On heading West Coast Operations at NBC in 1993; on creating "Must See TV" on Thursday nights; on the "Walk the Dog" Theory

Chapter 6

On Warren Littlefield; on executives staying in touch with audience interests; on the importance of research

On the importance of the 18-49 demographic; on the biggest misconception about television

On the Late Night battles - Leno v. Letterman; on supporting Conan O'Brien to take over The Late Show; on removing Norm MacDonald from SNL's "Weekend Update"

Chapter 7

On the decision to pull Norm MacDonald from Saturday Night Live 's "Weekend Update"; on making NBC the number one network; on the costly negotiations to keep ER at NBC

On the business model for NBC; on Seinfeld and Cheers

On NBC's coverage of the 1997 World Series interfering with the launch of the Fall schedule; on leaving NBC, recovering from addiction and alcoholism, and changing his outlook on life

Chapter 8

On returning to Monday Night Football and how it had changed; on leaving Monday Night Football and his next three projects: painting, writing and teaching

On Frank Gifford, Brandon Tartikoff and Lorne Michaels; on how television has changed and where it's headed; on advice to aspiring producers, his proudest career achievement, and how he'd like to be remembered